The Girl on the Swamp
by 50shadesofwitchbitch
Summary: Cordelia tells the story of how she first came to meet Misty. Foxxay one-shot.


Cordelia:

A lot of people were surprised at the bond I had with Misty Day, that special connection and how quickly it had formed. But the truth was I'd known Misty before. I met her for the first time a long while back, 14 years ago to be precise. I guess I'd never really forgotten her but when Zoe first mentioned her name and what had happened to her it all came flooding back to me in a wave of memories and feelings that rained down on me like a tonne of bricks.

As I lay next to Misty now, stroking her soft pale skin with my fingertips I remembered meeting her for the first time. I was just 18 years old and she 16…

I had been at Miss Robichaux's most of my childhood and, under the watchful eye of Auntie Myrtle, grew up with around 50 other 10 – 19 year olds learning magic, in the hope that one day I could use my gift to do great things. Apparently my gift wasn't so great though. I was targeted by bullies nearly every day of my teenage life.

''You call yourself a witch? Ha! It's hardly a 'gift' to be able to crush a few plants together and call it magic is it, De?'' They taunted.

I knew little of Fiona, my mother, although being supreme it was hard to forget her entirely. An occasional letter, a card on my birthday each year was about as much contact as I had with the woman until my 18th, when she stumbled into the academy, stark-raving drunk.

''Cordelia darling, your mothers here!'' Myrtle called from downstairs, her voice shaking a little.

My heart leapt into my throat. I hadn't seen Fiona for almost five years. I didn't want to see her but I had to. Shakily I stood from my bed and went to stand at the top of the staircase. Fiona was holding onto the sideboard in the hall, looking somewhat dishevelled. I knew at once she was drunk. She always was and as far as I knew, she was an alcoholic.

''Cor … Cordelia! Come down here, come and give me a hug.'' She slurred.

I did as I was told. Myrtle looked worried as I took slow steps towards Fiona. What was she doing here? She never came around on my birthdays. I gave her a peck on the cheek and she put her hands on my shoulders.

''Mother.'' I addressed her.

''How're you?'' she asked.

''Um, great actually I…'' I was cut short by her snapping fingers at Myrtle.

'I'll have a drink.'' she told her.

I raised my eyebrows. She was already drunk, asking for another drink and she hadn't even wished me a happy birthday. Some mother she was. A sharp slap across my face made me gasp in shock.

''What was that look for?'' Fiona demanded.

I stepped back smartly and placed my hand over my burning cheek.

''Do you even know what day it is you cow?'' I screamed.

By now a crowd of girls had gathered, it was a rarity to see our supreme and especially to see her with me, her daughter.

''You turn up here after five years, drunk, and you don't even wish me a happy birthday? Some mother you are! I'm glad you abandoned me because I wouldn't be half the witch I am now if I'd have been dragged up by you. Myrtle is twice the mother you will ever be!'' I yelled, fighting back tears.

''Half the witch you are now? Honey you can barely mix a potion. You're no daughter of mine. You're a complete and utter failure. '' She said, waving her gloved hand at me.

And it wasn't the comment that upset me. More the supressed giggles of the witches surrounding us. They knew she was right and, deep down, I knew she was right too.

I ran then, out of the open front door, tears streaming down my face. I didn't really know where I was going but I didn't care. I was a failure, worthless, a crap excuse for a witch. No matter how much Fiona's comments hurt they were all true, every single one of them. I kept on running, through a sort of meadow and then fields witch, as I continued, grew thick with mud.

I tripped and fell flat in the brown sludge. I didn't even try to pick myself up, I just sat and sobbed. I sobbed until I was sick. It became dark and I was cold and lost. I remember the feeling of wanting to die then. I didn't care for life any more, nothing mattered to me. No one mattered and I mattered to no one. I shook violently from the cold and I was aching from vomiting and sobbing.

It was then I saw, in the cold dark night, a young woman. She ran towards me, her black shawl floating in the wind. She was barefoot and didn't seem to mind the mud. She looked alarmed as she reached me. The last thing I remembered was her beautifully piercing blue eyes, and then I blacked out.

When I woke up I was lying in an old, wooden bed. I was wearing clothes that weren't my own and the room was pitch-black. I screamed out and I felt someone sit up suddenly in the bed next to me.

''Hey, hey. Shh it's okay. You're safe it's okay.'' The voice said, grabbing my wrists to stop me from lashing out.

She reached over me and snapped a light on. It was the girl with the blue eyes.

''Where am I? What happened?'' I asked, rubbing my pounding head.

''I guess ya fell down, I found you out on my swamp in the cold so I brought ya in. I think you must 'a passed out because I had to drag ya here myself.'' She said.

I wasn't really listening to her. I was captivated by her beauty. I didn't know I was gay before then and truth be told I hadn't thought about it much. But I knew that I was attracted to this girl. She was stunning with golden hair that flowed in curls and Prussian blue eyes. Her pale skin was flawless and she sort of glowed. She smelt like flowers and her cold hands were still pressed firmly into mine. I liked how her skin felt against mine and I absent-mindedly rubbed my thumb across hers.

She pulled her hand away blushing and rose from the bed to get a wet rag to put on my forehead.

''Thank-you for helping me, I'm Cordelia by the way.'' I said.

I looked around the cabin I'd found myself in. It didn't have much furniture and was very small.

''Do you live here by yourself? You can't be much younger than me.'' I said.

''No, I live with my mama. I'm 16.'' She said. ''This is just my little shack I sleep in sometimes.'' she said.

''I didn't get your name.'' I prompted.

''Oh sorry, I'm Misty.'' She said, wiping the rag across my head. ''There is that better?'' she asked.

''Much.'' I said.

There was a moment of eye contact but she blushed again, staring at the floor.

We chatted then for what seemed like hours. I was explaining what I was doing out in the cold when I let the 'witch' part slip. I thought I'd blown it then, she'd definitely think I was crazy. But then, she lifted her left arm and held the palm of her hand over the rag that lay in my lap. It flew across the room with force and I smiled.

''You're a witch too?'' I said.

''Shh! don't say anything, I don't want mama to hear.'' She said, putting her hand over my lips.

She pulled her hand away gently and looked at the spot where her hands had been. I was about to ask her why she didn't want anyone to know when she leaned forward and kissed me. I put my hands into her tangled hair and pulled her in closer.

Then, a beam of light shocked us out of our kiss and we separated. Auntie Myrtle appeared out of nowhere. She'd used magic to find me and brought herself here.

''Cordelia! Where have you been?'' she said, hugging me.

Misty bit her lip and stood up shuffling her feet awkwardly. I explained how she had helped and Myrtle thanked her quickly before holding onto my two hands tightly and preparing to transport us back to the coven.

''Goodbye.'' I said. ''Thank-you!''

The girl just smiled and winked at me. The next thing I knew I was back in my room at Miss Robichaux's.

I tried for months to find the girl again, to look for her swamp and her little house. It was as though I had dreamed her. I had little memory of the route id taken that night and try as I may, I couldn't find her. I didn't dare ask Myrtle. I had a suspicion she'd seen us kiss and I didn't want to talk to her about it. After a month of searching I gave up looking, almost convinced I'd dreamed it.

Although I went on to marry Hank, I never forgot the girl in the little house and how she had made me feel. It was pure chance she should turn up all these years later and I now found her lying here next to me at night as my lover, my companion and my soul mate. Myrtle knew who she was of course but no one else. It was our secret story of how we met and I knew how lucky I was to have found her again, all these years later.


End file.
